I’m not really an adult, I just play one on TV

2014-08-23

Oh, hello, blog. Since we spoke last, I’ve been very busy just doin’ me. Two weeks ago, I closed on my first home*. Big things are happening here! I couldn’t have done it without the incredible help of my darling little sister, my friend/loan officer, and my wonderful realtor (if you’re buying on the east side of Cincinnati – ask me for her contact info, she was incredible to work with!). It’s been an exciting (I’m a grown up!) and also terrifying (I’m a grown up!) process. It’s a pretty huge commitment to drop a stack of cash and ask the bank to loan you a whole bunch more. But on the up side, I got such a great deal on my condo that in two years when I’m waving my college degree around, my mortgage balance will be less than my student loan balance. Wait, is that an up side? #CatholicSchoolProblems (*I am careful to say home, not house, because people who own actual brick and mortar detached single family homes have a superiority complex and are certain to remind me that my lieu de résidence is, in fact a condominium. Suck it, bitches. I have a pool and don’t have to cut grass. My 27.92 year streak of no grass cutting continues!)

My place is perfect for me! It was built in the late 1980s (like me!) and the kitchen was a stark reminder of how terrible people were at designing things in the eighties (the music was great, the style was not). Mostly, it was in move-in condition, which was why I went a little over my intended budget to spring for it. Brand new carpet, white walls begging for character, and tons of closet space! This is what my place looked like the day I took possession:

Somebody before me liked the color green. Ew.Open floor plan! It will be great for entertaining all of my imaginary friends.Sup, 1987? Also: more green.

There are also two bathrooms and two bedrooms but those look like every other bathroom and bedroom so I’ll spare you photos until there’s something exciting to look at. Move in ready, but begging for some love. This is where I recruited my army of my aunt, the DIY Queen, my friend Megan to spend way too long staring at paint swatches with me, and my parents to fix things and carry heavy boxes in the process of making this place my home.

We started with the kitchen:

Bye bye!Yucky brown, it was nice knowin’ ya.Primed for awesomeness.After a few coats of paint…Doors almost ready! Some washing, sanding, bonding primer, and a few coats of paint in Paparazzi – the cleanest white I could find.

As you’ll see, I also painted the living room. I have an awesome red couch that spoke to me from across a show room, so I wanted to tie that all into my living room. The fireplace wall and one of the dining room walls are a great red that matches my couch (Pantone, Haute Red), and the other living room walls are Bermuda Sand. My condo is the beach, without the water.

I’m in love.Note the color difference over the entryway.The other red wall was too shy for for photos so this is all I have, with my $40 dinner table (yard sale!) that needs spruced up with some sanding and paint. And the other two chairs, which were also playing bashful.

It’s a work in progress for sure, but it’s finally starting to come along and feel like a place I might actually live someday (like, next weekend). I’m excited! There will be many more photos to come as I continue changing things up (kitchen floor, kitchen counters, kitchen walls), but this is all in a week’s worth of work so far!